Perhaps it is the lifetime Girl Scout in me, or the Negative Nelly, or the hundreds of hours I’ve spent watching medical- and emergency-based tv shows, but I like to be prepared for anything. Ask anyone I spend a lot of time with and they will tell you that if you need it, I probably have it. Aspirin? Tell me how many you need. Bandaids? Tell me the size you want. Feminine care products? I’ve got them for every preference. This trend extends to my car as well. As someone who, unfortunately, lives in Michigan, I am often driving through the snow and cold and while I hope to never need to be prepared, I keep a variety of items in my car just in case I would ever need them. With the weather getting colder, I’d like to share a list of seven items I keep in my car just in case of emergencies.
1. Blankets
If something were to go wrong, with weather as cold as it can get in Michigan, it wouldn’t take very long of being in the elements to get sick. I keep two warm blankets in my car that would keep me bundled up in or out of my car in case something were to happen.
2. phone charger
Not only can the cold weather drain a cell phone battery, lately I have been so busy that I am not doing a great job of making sure my phone is well charged. The last thing I want is to experience car problems and not have enough charge to get help. I keep a cell phone charger in my car so that at any time I will be able to charge, and use, my phone.
3. first aid kit
It is always a good idea to have a first aid kit in your car. From bandaids and aspirin to gauze, having a well-developed first aid kit (and making sure all medications are not expired) could be life saving. For ideas on what to include when building a first aid kit, the American Red Cross has some great resources that can be found here.
4. trail mix
During the winter months, I am often guilty of not getting up earlier to accommodate bad weather. This often means that in order to give myself extra time on the road, I have to pass on breakfast. For this reason, I keep a high protein trail mix in my car. It’s perfect for the longer commutes on bad roads, isn’t messy, and won’t go bad sitting in my car. It’s also great in case of emergencies if I were to be stuck waiting for roadside assistance.
5. flashlight
With the nights getting darker earlier (yes it’s gross, I know), I keep a flashlight in my car at all times. Not only could this help me to determine an issue with my car, but it could be necessary to be seen or to flag down help. At the very least, if I were to have an issue, having light would make any area I may be stuck in a little less scary.
6. extra winter hats, gloves, and sweater
Just like the blankets, I like to keep stuff in the car to keep warm. While I never leave the house in the winter without gloves and a hat, I often find myself driving around friends and family who do not think like me. In case something were to happen, I keep extras of these thing in my car to make sure any passengers I am driving are taken care of as well.
7. Umbrella
I live in Michigan, meaning it might go from snowing to raining at any time. In case I get caught in the rain, an umbrella is never a bad idea to keep dry. I keep one in my car not just in the winter but throughout the whole year.
Am I being overly cautious? Perhaps. But if something were to ever happen to me or my car, I know I am covered and that piece of mind is worth all of the preparation. Did I miss anything? Are there items you keep in your car during the winter? Whether you do or don’t, I hope we can all stay safe on the roads this winter season.